Journey to Midnight
The journey to Midnight takes place in Midnight, when six Clan cats travel to the sun-drown-place to meet Midnight, who informs them about the destruction of the forest and that the Clans need to find another place to live. Summary Premise The four Clans of feral cats have been living in the old forest ever since they were founded by the four ancient leaders. However, at a given moment, Twolegs start to destroy everything in the forest in order to create another Thunderpath, and the cats are forced to find a new place to live. As not even StarClan knows a place nearby that would fit all the Clans, they appoint four cats, one from each Clan, to travel to the sun-drown-place - namely, the ocean, that is far west from the Clan territories - where they can learn if such a region is available, and how to reach it. The chosen cats are Brambleclaw of ThunderClan, Tawnypelt of ShadowClan, Crowpaw of WindClan, and Feathertail of RiverClan. Despite the fact only the four chosen cats were supposed to go, two other cats accompany them, Squirrelpaw of ThunderClan and Stormfur of RiverClan, thus there are six cats in the party to find a new place to live. Overview After they receive their dreams of StarClan and decide what to do, the cats set off towards the ocean, or in their language, the sun-drown-place. During the journey, they get in trouble several times, but manage to survive. They meet Midnight, a badger living in a cave near the shore, who reveals that the forest is about to be destroyed, and the Clans must move to a new location, which they will find by following a "dying warrior", which is actually a shooting star. On their way home, the six cats take the mountain route, where they meet the Tribe of Rushing Water, who force them to stay, believing that Stormfur, the non-chosen cat of the two RiverClan cats who went on the journey is part of a prophecy of theirs. Feathertail, Stormfur's sister and the chosen cat of the two RiverClan cats, dies to save the Tribe from Sharptooth, a mountain lion, fulfilling the prophecy, and the five remaining cats continue their travel, and eventually arrive home. Description StarClan's choice :The events start out during early leaf-fall. During a meeting of StarClan warriors, Bluestar speaks of a new prophecy, revealing that the forest will be destroyed soon, and four cats must undertake a quest to save the Clans, finding them a new place to live. Feathertail is chosen by Oakheart, Crowpaw is chosen by Deadfoot, Tawnypelt is chosen by Nightstar, and Brambleclaw is chosen by Bluestar. Although the StarClan warriors are surprised with some of the choices, they eventually approve of them, and agree to prepare the cats for the journey by contacting them in their dreams. :Bluestar appears in Brambleclaw's dream, telling him about the prophecy, and that he must meet with the three other catsAlthough she does not tell him where they have to meet - the cats assume Fourtrees but in reality it was the sun-drown-place on the night of the new moon,After 17 days listening what midnight has to tell them.Here, "midnight" refers to Midnight, a badger, although they do not know this until meeting her She does not reveal more, but states that all will be made clear in due time, then disappears. The other three cats receive similar dreams from their ancestors as well.As revealed during the next Gathering :Brambleclaw wonders why StarClan had sent a message about great danger to one of the youngest, and least experienced warriors in the Clan, instead of the leader or the medicine cat, and decides to disregard it, not even mentioning it to Firestar. However, after learning at a Gathering that his sister Tawnypelt had the same dream, except with one of her ShadowClan ancestors, he begins to take the sign seriously. Preparation :The chosen cats meet at Fourtrees at the next new moon. Brambleclaw is followed by Squirrelpaw, while Feathertail brings Stormfur along. They discuss about the vision, and Crowpaw almost starts the fight, getting into arguments with every cat, but he is stopped by the others. They "wait for midnight," as the ancestors told them; but midnight passes and there is no sign from StarClan. They discuss what to do next, and if they should tell their Clan leaders about the dream. Finally, they decide to wait for more signs, and agree to talk at the next Gathering. :The following night, Brambleclaw has a dream about drowning in salty water; and even after waking up, he feels the taste of salt in his mouth. When Ravenpaw visits ThunderClan the next day to tell Firestar about the Twoleg activity,The destruction of the forest is about to begin Brambleclaw tells him about the dream, and Ravenpaw states that the place in the dream is actually a real location, and can be reached by walking in the direction of the setting sun. Brambleclaw wonders if StarClan actually wishes him to go there. He meets in secret with the other chosen cats, and they agree that they should find that place. :They agree to meet at Fourtrees the day before the next half-moon.After 5 days Meanwhile, Firestar is worried about an omen about a fire and tiger that Cinderpelt had received when looking into a burning clump of bracken, hinting that Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw present a danger to the Clan, or to each other,In fact, the omen means that Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw will find a new home for the Clans, and unite them for the journey and tries to keep the two cats apart; nevertheless, they both leave to join the others. :The six cats meet, and the four chosen cats argue about whether the two others should come, as they were not chosen and might represent a danger to the mission. But they finally accept their presence and start off, wondering why could not StarClan tell them what they need to know right there, and why must they undertake a long and dangerous journey instead.The answer is revealed by Midnight: so that cats from different Clans could understand the importance of working together and trusting each other. In the coming moons, all Clans must become one in a similar way, unless they want to be destroyed To the sun-drown-place :The cats follow the edge of WindClan's territory, and in the evening, they arrive at Barley's barn. They meet Barley and Ravenpaw, who greet them warmly and offer them shelter for the night. They leave the next day at first light, and Ravenpaw accompanies them to Highstones, showing them the safest way to go, as the recent Twoleg activity around the Thunderpath made traveling dangerous. On the summit of Highstones, they gaze out over endless, unknown territories, and Ravenpaw tells them about places they will encounter and should avoid. :They follow a path across fields divided by Twoleg fences where sheep graze, then cross a narrow Thunderpath with a hedge on the other side. Thrusting through the hedge, they get separated, ending up in gardens of different Twoleg nests. Brambleclaw and Feathertail remain together, but cannot find or even scent the other cats, and are to be attacked by a dog. They slip back to the Thunderpath through the hedge, and eventually, find Stormfur and Crowpaw, being cornered by two large kittypets. Squirrelpaw and Tawnypelt appear shortly after to join the fight, which is broken up by a Twoleg emerging from the nest, and the Clan cats can get away. They go on, and find shelter for the night near a stretch of a broken-down wall. Tawnypelt has her salt-water sign, and the others realize that they are on the right path, being watched over by StarClan. :During the next three days, the six cats travel through farmland, avoiding Twoleg nests and meeting nothing more threatening than sheep, cows and horses. They come across a wheat field where a monster is harvesting the crop, and catch several mice. Squirrelpaw gets stuck under a Twoleg fence while trying to squeeze through a hole under it, and Tawnypelt manages to get her out after spreading dock leaves on her fur. :Feathertail has her salt-water sign in a dream. The weather turns cloudy, but the Clan cats continue their journey, remembering where did the sun set the day before. Later that day, they are chased by a dog, and escape by climbing up tree trunks, Crowpaw saving Feathertail's life in the process. A Twoleg shows up to take the dog away. The cats meet an old loner who introduces himself as Purdy and leads them into a large Twolegplace where they can catch fish from a pool in a Twoleg garden. Crowpaw has his salt-water sign, confirming that they still are on the right path. :The cats eat kittypet food in another garden, but a Twoleg kit appears and catches Feathertail. Squirrelpaw and Stormfur rub themselves against the kit's legs, and it drops Feathertail, making it possible for all six cats to escape. They continue through the Twolegplace, with Purdy guiding them; the hard surface of the paths making their paws burn, and by the end of the day, they are all hungry and exhausted. As the clouds break up, they see the setting sun behind themselves, confirming that they were traveling in the wrong direction. The Clan cats get angry at Purdy, but being lost in the Twolegplace, they have no other option but to continue following him. They find shelter for the night on an empty lot surrounded by a spiky fence. :They press on, and are attacked by rats while passing by a dump. They manage to defeat the rats, but Tawnypelt gets an infected bite on her shoulder and limps painfully for the rest of the journey. They rest in an abandoned building, and Brambleclaw worries about the journey that has gone so disastrously wrong, but Squirrelpaw comforts him, telling that StarClan are watching over them. :It takes the cats three days to get out from the Twolegplace, and enter a forest where they find shelter, prey, and burdock root for Tawnypelt's wound. They rest until next morning, then go on, leaving the forest and walking across a dry moorland. In the evening, they finally glance a large expanse of blue-green water reflecting the orange rays of the setting sun, knowing that they arrived at their destination. :As they climb down the cliffs, the soil gives way and Brambleclaw and Stormfur fall into the water. Brambleclaw nearly drowns, but Squirrelpaw saves him. They find the cave seen in the dream where they are supposed to wait for midnight, and enter. Salt-water sign :During (and before) the journey, each of the four cats selected by StarClan has their "salt-water sign," a dream or illusion of drinking (or swimming in) salty water. This convinces even the most skeptical ones that they are on the right path, and indeed following StarClan's will. :*Brambleclaw has his sign right after the first meeting at Fourtrees: a dream about drowning in cold, salty water; the currents carrying him towards high cliffs edged by jagged rocks where a cave is visible. :*Tawnypelt has her sign on the second evening of the journey, when she laps up water from a puddle and finds it tasting of salt, when no other cat tastes the salty tang. :*Feathertail has her sign on the sixth day of the journey, in a dream about drinking salty water in a stony landscape. :*Crowpaw has his sign later the same day while catching fish from a Twoleg pool. The Clans :Back in the forest, all cats are worried about their missing Clanmates. Soon, all leaders find out that the other Clans lost cats as well, and discuss about it on a Gathering. They are uneasy, wondering why StarClan did not send them a message. Only Leafpaw, Squirrelflight's sister knows about the mission StarClan gave to the cats , but did not tell about it to any other cat. :When Tawnypelt gets an infected bite on her shoulder, Leafpaw senses Squirrelpaw's distress and sends her a dream suggesting that burdock root should be used for treating rat bites. Midnight :As the six questing cats enter the cave, they meet a badger, one of the deadliest enemies of the forest cats. They panic, but the badger does not seem to be hostile, and introduces herself as Midnight. The cats understand that the StarClan warriors referred to her when they told to "listen to midnight." :Midnight leads them to the back of the cave and treats Tawnypelt's wound, while Brambleclaw tells them about their journey. She eventually reveals that all Clans are in danger, as the forest is about to be completely destroyed by Twolegs to construct a new Thunderpath, and there is no way to stop it. The six cats must lead the Clans to find a new home, which will be shown by a dying warrior,A shooting star seen while standing on Great Rock.It later turns out that Midnight meant Highstones, and not the stone at Fourtrees know as the Great Rock by the Clan cats :Brambleclaw realizes that the journey has brought them very close to each other, and how much his companions mean to him. He agrees that they have become one. Characters Brambleclaw Brambleclaw, the son of Tigerstar, was chosen to go on the journey by Bluestar. Although young and inexperienced at that time, he is a natural born leader ; taking responsibility for the others right from the start of their journey, stating that if any of his companions were injured or even killed on the journey, it was his fault. The other five cats soon look up on him and become used to taking orders from him. In other words, he is the unofficial leader of the six. Tawnypelt Tawnypelt, Brambleclaw's sister, is chosen by Nightstar. Although some StarClan warriors doubt her loyalty, having changed Clans, Nightstar insists on sending her, and Bluestar remarks that it will take cats with a paw in two Clans to understand what has to be done. She is the one who got the group moving, and is smart and practical. She gets along well with Feathertail, and thinks very highly of her. She gets an infected wound while fighting rats, but carries on and never complains, despite barely being able to move. Feathertail Feathertail, a RiverClan warrior and Stormfur's sister, was chosen by Oakheart. She is peaceful and caring, and usually stops the toms from arguing. During the journey, she fell in love with Crowpaw, the WindClan cat. She is a good friend of Tawnypelt, and helps her when she is injured. Crowpaw Crowpaw, the one mentioned with no kin within the group, is chosen by Deadfoot, a former WindClan deputy. He is the youngest cat to be sent to the journey; while the other three are roughly of the same age, Crowpaw is five seasons younger,See the Events timeline for specific birth dates and still an apprentice. The other StarClan warriors think he is too young to participate in the perilous quest, but Deadfoot convinces them to let him go. He is a defensive and snappish cat and has a barbed tongue, always arguing and disagreeing with the others. Crowpaw falls in love with Feathertail during the journey and grieves heavily following her death. Stormfur Stormfur, Feathertail's brother, is not a chosen cat, but he follows his sister, worried about her because of all they had been through together.Notably Tigerstar capturing and wanting to kill them in The Darkest Hour He is a good friend of Brambleclaw. Squirrelpaw Squirrelpaw is the daughter of Firestar, and the youngest cat in the party. She is not one of StarClan's chosen cats, but forces Brambleclaw to let her go with him. She manifests a tireless courage and refuses to think that they would ever fail in their mission. There are several times when her determination and will to succeed puts fresh heart into all her companions. Her fiery attitude bothers the other cats, but neither Stormfur nor Brambleclaw seem to care, as they both fall in love with her. She grows especially close to Brambleclaw, and finally ends up becoming his mate. Characters that took part in the journey :Squirrelpaw :Tawnypelt :Crowpaw :Stormfur :Feathertail }} Map Links to external sites: *Official Map (hosted on mywarriorcats.com) *Official Map (hosted on freewebs) Quotes Trivia *The journey is the only known event when StarClan willingly chooses and contacts warriors and apprentices who have never had prior contact or affinity for the spirit world. *The journey to the sun-drown place took ten days - this can be deduced both from the references to time intervals during the journey, and from the moon phases (they start out a day before half moon, and arrive the second day after full moon). See also *The lake territories *Midnight/Cliffnotes and Moonrise/Cliffnotes Notes and references Category:Events Category:Journeys